New Life
by Dawn Bently
Summary: In the midst of the Greengrass family tragedy, Astoria and Draco Malfoy find themselves the new primary caregiver of an orphaned girl, and Scorpius finds himself a big brother...
1. Chapter 1

It was an accident. It very well could've been intentional. Somehow, it didn't really matter at the moment. At least not to the two men standing in the debris and ruble of what had once been the Greengrass Summer House. It had been such a magnificent building. Not imposing in the slightest, but instead as warm as it was big. In any direction, the only other residence larger than Greengrass Summer House was the Malfoy Manor, but the two were as wildly different now as they were before. Malfoy Manor was imposing whereas the Greengrass residence was welcoming and inviting. Now, it was nothing more than rubble.

Draco Malfoy could not ignore the pang in his chest as he stared blankly around him. He willed the walls to reconstruct themselves and the bodies buried beneath them to rise again with life. No, the three bodies lost somewhere in the disaster were not his family by blood, but his heart had broken already. His wife, a surviving Greengrass, would not take the news of her parents and sister's death well, and his heart had already broken at the mere thought of telling her. Of course, in his line of work, more often than not, he had other more open and receptive men to deliver news such as that. Draco was terrible at it, but he knew he had no other choice.

Standing a number of steps away from him was none other than Harry Potter. No, Draco and Harry did not customarily work the same cases, but when threats had come against the upstanding Greengrass family, Harry had volunteered his time when Draco had begun to wear thin with his in-laws.

Of course all of this was pushed to back of his mind when the soft, unmistakable sound of a baby echoed through the still air. Harry slowly peered down at the small bundle in his arms, as had Draco. The little girl's face was covered in dust, as were the blankets covering her, and Harry had gently run his thumb beneath the child's eyes so that it would not enter her eyes as well.

"I guess this one is yours now." Harry spoke first, deciding on commenting a less tense topic than the explosion they'd somehow survived. Of course, young Ava Greengrass had survived as well by sheer luck. Daphne had just handed her daughter to Harry and had turned to retrieve one of the child's bags. Only moments before, Harry and Draco, working together, had convinced the new mother to move to more easily protected area with her child. Daphne, who was far more concerned with the safety of her daughter than herself, had certainly had her only wish granted even if neither Harry nor Draco could shake the pain of the girl's mother from their hearts and minds. As little Ava cried again, Harry swore he saw a tear slide down the marble skin of his former enemy, but had averted his eyes to the girl again.

Astoria had held her niece when she first cried. Draco had no idea what to do as he sat on the other end of the couch. Harry sat across from the married couple, watching Astoria cradle the baby as any loving mother would. Or father for that matter. In the few moments Harry had held her, he had been instantly reminded of holding his own infant children and even in the midst of the tragedy and its aftermath, he was suddenly far more excited about the coming birth of his first daughter.

When Harry turned to Draco, the men stared at one another, but neither said anything. Harry almost understood. He'd comforted his then-girlfriend through the death of one of her brothers, it certainly had not been an easy task. No matter how much surrounded the two men, neither seemed capable of handling it any better now than they could as school children.

Again, Harry was the one to break the silence. "She's still young."

Astoria turned her tear stain gaze to Harry, the confusion showing across her face. "I know." She responded, as though Harry were implying she did not know the age of her own niece.

"I mean, we're abroad. We can file a death certificate and apply for a birth certificate without too many people knowing or noticing. You can raise her as your own daughter." Harry said as gently as he could, but Astoria, whose emotions were left to run unchecked, hadn't fully grasped the concept Harry was presenting to them.

"And lie to her!"

"Astoria," Draco sighed as he reached to put his hand on her shoulder.

"Sometimes a little lie is better than the truth." Harry said simply, seemingly unaffected by her outburst. "Sometimes a baby just needs parents, not the story of why she has no parents."

Draco had averted his eyes immediately, knowing Harry had ventured into the private part of his life to extend heartfelt advice to the couple. In their line of work, professional life and private life were strictly separated, and for good reason Draco had learned the hard way. The piece of advice Harry had indirectly given was straight from his personal life, Draco knew. Astoria must've known as well, but her emotions and the pain of losing her family were overriding the rational thought she was capable of performing. Because it stemmed from the most delicate piece of Harry's childhood, Draco knew the idea had been said in the best interest of the child.

"And Scorpius?" Draco indulged in the idea for a moment, doing his best to ignore the angered stare from his wife. "What are we supposed to tell him, then?"

"He's just a little boy." Harry shrugged. "They don't understand the process of a child fully enough to see the inconsistencies. Albus has no idea that…" Harry stopped himself as he turned his gaze to the floor and ran his hand through his hair. He cleared his throat as he met Draco's gaze again with as professional of a gaze he could muster under the circumstances. "I can't image it'll be too difficult to call her his sister."

"You can't be serious, Draco!" Astoria cried out, and Ava had begun to cry as well. Astoria quickly recovered her composure as she rocked the little girl to calm her down. Harry and Draco swallowed at the sound of the girl's cries, neither stone enough to endure the sound. Yes, they'd seen battle, and war, and yet as father's neither could bear the thought of a child left with no parents, and crying at that. Draco had a strong feeling, however, that Harry was slightly more affected by Ava's unfortunate situation that he. Of course, if Ava wasn't his wife's niece, Draco knew he wouldn't have been concerned at all. In the back of his mind, he added that to the list of reasons Harry Potter was a much better man than he was. He wasn't sure if it should be ranked above or below the ink staining his arm, though. When the sounds of Scorpius' small footsteps running in the hallway behind them fell around the three adults, Draco was inclined to settle on above.

"How fast could you process the paperwork if I stay here?" Draco asked and Harry took a moment to think of the answer.

"A few days." Harry promised an exceptional time frame, but only Draco recognized how willing harry was to help them. Draco was all too familiar with waiting endlessly for months for paperwork to gather something as trivial as a signature to be put into act.

"I'll have Hermione expedite them." Harry explained when he recognized the doubting look on his co-worker's face.

"She would know too?" Draco asked and Harry nodded.

"But I'm sure she would be able to get them approved without anybody realizing what they mean together." Harry assured them. "To bypass Hermione, it'll be too difficult to declare Ava dead without the Ministry starting their own investigation. If we sign on the deaths," Harry started as he held Draco's gaze before he turned to Astoria, "you would be free to bury your family without any questions. Mark an empty grave with her name and in a few months, after she's grown a bit, you can return home with a daughter and nobody would doubt it at all."

For the first time, Astoria remained quiet, as though she were truly considering the idea. She pulled her eyes from Harry as she looked down at the sleeping child in her arms. In the silence, little Scorpius Malfoy approached the adults, and though he understood so little of the world around him, he saw the sadness in the faces of his parents and their new friend, whom he'd never met prior.

"Hello, Scorpius." Harry said gently as he smiled at the boy. It was remarkable how alike Scorpius and his father looked, but Harry felt the boy radiated quite a bit more innocence than his father.

"Who are you?" Scorpius' boyish voice was like music compared to the somber conversation between the adults.

"My name is Harry." Harry answered, still holding his gaze. "Are you having fun on vacation?"

"Yes," Scorpius beamed as he nodded his head up and down vigorously. "The sun is here! And it's more fun than at home!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." Harry replied as Scorpius stepped towards him, accidently knocking the end of the table. One of the glass bowls on the table had started to fall, and Draco had responded on instinct, but it was Harry who caught the bowl before it shattered into pieces on the floor.

"I'm sorry!" Scorpius called out as he turned to his father with wide eyes. Draco, who wasn't mad in the slightest, held his hand out to the little child. Harry set the bowl in the center of the table, a more secure location, as Scorpius put his little hand into his father's and took tentative steps towards him. Once Scorpius had neared him, Draco had lifted the small boy into his arms and pressed his lips to son's forehead. Draco's eyes had shut as he imagined what might've been had it been his family who had been targeted. He feared what might've become of his son, should he have survived, and as such, Draco held his child knowing in his heart of hearts there was nobody who would be willing to care for his son should anything happen to him and his wife.

It was a scary thought, and nagging him in the back of his mind, he knew Harry Potter was exactly the kind of man who could not see a little boy go through life without the loving support of make-shift parents. Though he'd never thought of Harry as much more than a somewhat important part of Wizarding history and a colleague, Draco suddenly realized Harry was a father just as he was, and the idea of parentless Ava had affect each of them greatly.

"I love you," Draco said to his son before kissing him again. When the boy returned the sentiments, his words were not plagued with the fear his father's had been. He was too young to understand, but Draco and Harry both felt as though that was Scorpius' greatest advantage. With the pain surrounding the three adults, Scorpius was still carried enough childlike innocence to smile at his father and put kisses on his face with a wide smile. It was certainly something he was envied for, but neither war survivor would take it away from the boy. He had a gift they wanted desperately to protect at any cost.

**X**

First, the most important parts of the Wizarding World—the Ministry, Diagon Alley, and the pureblood elite social circle—heard the news of the Greengrass family accident. It was much easier to rule the explosion as an accident, even though Draco and Harry knew it had been no accident. To deal with the loss, the Malfoy family remained abroad with their son. They did not stay near the Greengrass Summer House, but Draco watched carefully as the ruble was shifted through. During those first few months, he spotted Harry Potter and his sister-in-law, Hermione Weasley overlooking the remains as well. He knew their presence should've been welcomed, but instead it only reinforced Draco's complex that he truly could not hold his wife's family together without Harry's help.

In the distance, Draco could see the pair talking to a man, who had just finished pushing through as much ruble as he could in one day. Slowly, Draco continued approaching them, until he could finally hear the conversation.

"Three bodies, sir." The man said then slowly shifted his eyes to Hermione. She certainly had the look of a pregnant woman, but had Draco not known when she and her husband announced their pregnancy, he might've guessed she was only in the early months.

"That's not right." Harry said strongly, and Draco was surprised at how well he could lie. "There should be a child."

"Can't find it."

"Her." Hermione correctly strongly and the man cleared his throat as he looked away from the pair. Certainly, Harry and Hermione were not an easy pair to face, and Draco was not envious of the man who owed them a body that would never be found. "And go look again. We're not burying Daphne Greengrass without her daughter."

"Yes, Ma'am." The man nodded before he turned and left the pair. Harry turned to Hermione after he had gone, and the two whispered to one another. Once Hermione spotted Draco nearing them, she tilted her head at him, and offered a small smile in his direction. Harry noticed and turned to look at Draco over his shoulder.

"How is Astoria?" Hermione asked kindly. She and Draco had not associated with each other much since the war, but Hermione was perfectly capable of holding up pleasant conversation, or at least comforting words.

"A little better now." Draco answered as he looked out at the remains that had once been tall beautiful walls. He could not tear his eyes from the scene, but neither Harry nor Hermione could fault him for it. "We got married here." Draco finally said as his eyes shifted to the area that had used to be the gardens. Instead pieces of wall and floor had collapsed over it and the place he had first kissed Astoria as her husband was not discernable.

"It was a beautiful choice." Hermione replied and Draco turned to her again. A few other Ministry workers had passed by as they continued their work on the fallen building. Draco paid them more attention than he should, while Harry and Hermione held their facial expressions that should make any self-proclaimed Slytherin jealous. "How is the pregnancy?" Hermione asked finally, and Draco could not stop staring at her. She was so perfectly poised with her hands collapsed over her small belly. The slight smile across her lips looked so natural; he almost believed his wife actually had been pregnant.

"A girl," Draco answered, clearly having a difficult time holding up the charade Harry had so easily put into place with his and Astoria's blessing. Harry and Hermione certainly noticed, but knew they could explain his odd behavior as being shock at the deaths of his extended family.

"Girls are wonderful," Hermione said, her smile actually genuine. Harry smiled as well, thinking of his own daughter, only a few days old.

While Draco had been so focused on what was to happen to Ava's true identity, he had completely forgotten her new one. He was to be her father now, and it hadn't donned on him until Hermione's comment had completely sunk in. Scorpius he was good with, after a couple hundred encounters with him and his odd way of moving through life. Until Scorpius was two, Draco was sure he wasn't even human. Now to repeat those first two years, but with a girl? Quite a daunting task, indeed.

"Is there a name picked out?" Hermione asked and Draco shook his head as he looked to Harry.

"Perhaps your wife would like to honor your niece." Harry suggested and Draco's gazed shifted to Hermione. From the comforting smile across her lips, Draco was almost convinced Harry had convinced her of Ava's death as well as the rest of the world.

After sometime, Ava Greengrass was declared missing with Harry's signature and Hermione's department seal. It was customary for the official missing person's department to meet with the family to get a better picture of who they were looking for. Under Hermione's order, the Malfoy family was left to grieve in peace away from the prying eyes of the media. It was a decision that did not draw any attention, considering that nobody doubted the death of the small child. As such, Hermione set the case of Ava Greengrass to the side, as she and the Malfoys waited the year to declare her official dead, should a body never be recovered.

Within a few months, Astoria and Draco Malfoy returned to the public eye, young Scorpius standing at his father's side. Though Scorpius had always been a popular subject among the media, all cameras were flashing in the direction of the newest addition to the Malfoy family. Watching from the side, purely to ensure the safety of Ava, Harry admired Draco's talent for spinning his family's image in the most beneficial way.

Not only did the Malfoy gain the sympathies of the entire Wizarding World, they were also regarded as a new era of Malfoys. They'd famously help put an end to Voldermolt's regime, just before that was forgotten; they had a second child to present to the world. That of course was breaking the mold of the Malfoy family as well.

The newest Malfoy, Ava Daphne Malfoy, was famously named for her missing cousin, and deceased aunt. Somewhere around her first birthday, Ava Greengrass was officially declared dead at the request of Draco Malfoy, and Daphne's estate was added to Astoria's inheritance. Again, Draco had called upon Harry and Hermione's help to divide the estate so that Ava Malfoy, and her new brother, could have inheritances of their own when they became of age.

When Astoria expressed her wish to decide what would happen to their small children should anything impede her and Draco's abilities to parent, the former enemies were again pushed into a difficult situation.

To Ginny and Astoria, who had become close friends over the course of several years after the war, it wasn't nearly as awkward. The decision took several months to be agreed upon, but eventually, Ginny and Harry signed the copies of Draco and Astoria's wills, stating that Scorpius and Ava Malfoy would be put in the care of Harry and Ginny if their parents could not care for them. In addition, Draco and Harry agreed on how the Malfoy and Greengrass inheritances would be divided among the two, including a small amount to be given to Harry and Ginny for the purposes of caring for the children.

It was an understandable fear that Draco and Astoria had been unable to overcome, but it was something else entirely about the agreement that lingered in Draco's mind. Endlessly throughout their intertwined lives, Harry proved himself a much better man than Draco, in Draco's eyes. Now, as Draco rest assured he knew exactly what would happen to his son, and his new daughter in the event of his own accident, he felt as though the score could level out. Not by Draco's own actions directly, but in another way entirely.

If anything were to happen to himself and to his wife, Draco knew Harry's heart could not abuse the two children he would find himself caring for. By ensuring his children a good childhood surrounded by the love Potters and Weasleys could not help but radiate, Draco Malfoy was finally able to consider himself as good a man as Harry Potter.


	2. Chapter 2

**So, the sotry line I was planning on using was going nowhere, and so this is the new and revised second chapter. **

* * *

><p>"Well, of course they're late. I can't imagine what else you were expecting," Scorpius commented as he rolled his eyes and took a sip from his glass. He and Albus were seated rather close together at a circular table. Albus' date for the night had excused herself from the table momentarily to head towards the lady's room, but Albus was more preoccupied with Lily and Ava, who have yet to arrive.<p>

"You'd think they'd be on time for once in their lives, is all," Albus replied as he turned to face his friend from childhood.

"I think you're on edge because you though Ava was canceling on us, but she didn't so you invited Emma, and she's the first girl since you and Ava. So you're just nervous for apparent reasons except that Ava might kill this girl who has no idea you dragged her to a battle zone."

"Thank you," Albus' voice was strong, signaling Scorpius not to carry on. Scorpius only laughed as he lifted his drink to his lips again and scanned the dimly lit room. Off to the side of where the seating area was, the dance floor was crammed with people dancing. On the other side was the a calmer seating area.

"Why are we in a muggle dance club?" Scorpius asked with a groan as he sighted some woman on the far end of the room. Her clothes were ill fitted and even in the distance and poor lighting, he could tell she was drunk.

"Lily's date is a muggle," Albus answered and Scorpius groaned again. "What? Jealous of the new man?"

"Don't try and put me in the same position you're in." Scorpius replied. "Lily and I have a completely different relationship than you and Ava, and she's perfectly free to date who she wants. I just don't like it when one of us is dating a muggle. It complicates things."

"Nothing is complicated when you're drunk," Albus commented and the two laughed just before two women and a man approached the table. Scorpius turned to the woman with black hair and put a kiss on her cheek before he turned to the red head, who only held his gaze with one of her odd smiles.

"Brad, that's my brother Al," Lily introduced as she sat beside Ava, who sat next to her elder brother. "And Ava's brother Scorpius."

"Interesting name," The man commented and Scorpius only nodded before he finished off his drink. He turned his gaze to Lily and caught sight of her smirk for just a second as she turned to gesture at the bartender in order to get drinks.

"Is someone here with you?" Ava asked curiously as her gaze lifted to Scorpius. When the blonde had gone quiet and blank faced, she turned to Albus.

"Emma's in the bathroom," Albus answered, successfully holding her gaze. Scorpius tried not to pay attention to his best friend and little sister, but it was his nature to want the best for each of them. Of course, in the current circumstance, he could do nothing, and so he took a deep breath as Ava turned away from Albus' green eyes and Albus turned to his sister.

"Do either of you have dates?" Brad asked as he rose an eyebrow at Scorpius.

"No, being single is way more fun." Scorpius answered with a slight shrug and Lily had turned to him with a cold stare. "But don't worry about us. You'll be much too distracted with Lily later to even be concerned with anyone anyway."

"Scorpius." Lily stared at him, and he looked back at her, knowing she wanted to smile. She held it back after some struggling, so by the time Brad turned in her direction she was only glaring at him. As Brad turned his attention towards Ava, Scorpius, and Albus, all of whom who stifling their laughter, he felt as though he would have a much harder time trying to fit in with Lily's circle of friends than he originally expected.

"Drinks," the waitress announced and she approached the table with a tray balance on one hand.

"You look wonderful in that," Scorpius commented as he turned to her and admired the outfit she was wearing. "Is it a required uniform or just your fashion decisions?"

Ava, who was just slightly unnerved at the thought of Albus on a date with another woman so soon after their separation, managed to smile at her brother's antics. He could so smoothly charm any woman to the point where he'd earned the title of Master Charmer, but she as well as Albus and Lily could tell when he was actually interested in a woman. For instance, he was by no means interested in the waitress and was quite possibly poking fun because Lily had brought a date. Not that he and Lily had a real relationship anyway, but they so enjoyed irritating each other any chance they got.

"It's a uniform," The waitress answered, unable to hide the faint blush across her cheeks. "Would you like any specific drink from the bar?"

"Whatever you've got here is just fine," Scorpius commented and she only nodded as she put the drinks on the table. Ava asked for a glass of water before the waitress walked away in the direction of the bar.

"Did you already order?" A rather tall blonde woman asked as she neared the table and stood in the open space at the table between Lily's date Brad and Albus. She wore a sweet innocent smile as she looked up at Albus and placed her hand over his on the table, a gesture that hadn't gone unnoticed by anybody at the table, except perhaps Brad who didn't understand the significance. "Who are your friends?" She asked when Albus had said nothing about their drinks.

"This is my sister Ava," Scorpius jumped in, saving Albus from the odd introduction between Ava and Emma. "And uh, Albus' sister Lily. And her date. This is Emma," Scorpius added as he motioned across the table and Lily and Brad, then held his gaze on Lily and slowly turned to Ava after.

"It's nice that you guys spend time with your sisters," Emma smiled as she looked up at Albus, then at Scorpius. Before anyone could respond the waitress had come back with Ava's water.

"Actually, could I get whatever he's having?" Ava asked as he motioned to Scorpius. Albus looked at Lily, who shook her head slightly. When Albus turned to Scorpius, Scorpius had seen him because he'd shut his eyes as though shutting off his vision would make the disaster playing out before him disappear altogether.

"Sure," the waitress responded with a soft nod.

"Put it on my tab, please," Scorpius told her, and the waitress smiled at him and nodded before she walked away. "So Chad, what do you do for a living?" He asked, wanting desperately to shift the topic away from Emma and the rift she'd instantly and unknowingly created at the table.

"It's Brad," he replied, but Scorpius hardly cared. Lily would've glared at him, but even if she could never admit it aloud she knew the truth about her date and Scorpius. Scorpius had no trouble with muggles on a moral level, but he was right about the dynamic they brought to their circle of friends whenever somebody sought out their romantic company. For that reason, the two sets of siblings and four friends rarely dated muggles, and whenever somebody did it never lasted long. And just like how Scorpius three closest friends knew when he charmed a woman for the fun of it opposed to when he was actually interested, Scorpius could tell Lily wasn't actually all that interest in the muggle beside her.

"That sounds fascinating," Emma said with astonishment across her face, and Scorpius turned to her with a confused look on his face. He hadn't even heard Brad's answer, and as he turned to Lily, she had a slightly smile across her lips as she shook her head at him. Ava's hand patted Scorpius' knee beneath the table, and he lifted his drink to his lips deciding the topic of Brad's line of work was unimportant. Or at least he took Lily and Ava's silent indications that Brad's line of work was uninteresting.

Conversation hadn't gone on for long when the waitress reappeared at the table and set two drinks down before Ava. "The man over there," she explained as she turned and pointed at a table where three men were seated, "got you a drink." As Ava peered over at the table she saw one of the men wave at her before she turned back, her cheeks beginning to become red and flushed.

"Tell him to shove it." Scorpius said as he took the second drink off of the table and set it back on the waitress' tray.

"Scorpius!" Ava called out as she turned to him. "What is your problem?"

"There are three instances in which it is inappropriate to make advances on a woman," Scorpius explained.

"Pray tell," Ava replied, eyes narrowed, voice dripped in sarcasm.

"One, when she's accompanied by her boyfriend or significant other. Two, when she's with her father. And three, when she's with her brother, sisters of best friends exempted, except from the second."

"I agree," Albus put in and Ava turned her heavy glare his way.

"I don't care," Ava replied as she reached over and took the drink from the tray and lifted the glass to her lips. Scorpius left the response unanswered, though he was fairly certain it had been directed more at Albus than at him anyway. "Anybody up for explaining basic etiquette around former flames?"

Scorpius had begun to cough as he nearly choked on his drink. Albus had paled, but he ran his hand through his hair as though the action would make his facial expression less noticeable. Lily had let out a soft laugh, but said nothing as she turned to look at Brad.

"I wonder when that waitress gets off," Scorpius commented as he scanned the muggle club in search of the blonde.

"I'm sure you could better," Ava commented simply as she held Albus' gaze. "What is it with men and blondes anyway?" She asked as she turned to look up at her brother, as though she were genuinely interested in her brother's interest towards the blonde waitress. Scorpius and Albus, however, knew the remark was more about Albus and Emma, and whether Emma had put the pieces together yet had yet to be seen.

Scorpius let out a huff of hair as he shrugged. "Is there a right answer?"

"No," Ava replied as she lifted her free drink to her lips, her eyes remaining on her brother. "I'm going to dance," she announced as she set the drink on the table and rose to her feet. Albus could not help but watch as she neared the table where the three men were drinking. She'd already readjusted her top and smile by the time Scorpius turned just in time to watch some stranger smile at his sister. The man took her hand and let her lead the way to the dance floor. Though Scorpius knew it was out of spite towards Albus, he could not help but feel as though she'd meant to attack him as well, even if just by a slight amount.

"I never figured her for that type of girl," Brad commented, and Scorpius' gaze quickly turned to him. His grey eyes had suddenly become colder and harder, and unable to face them, Brad's eyes began to dart around the room.

"What type of girl?" Scorpius asked, his tone of voice almost sounding as though he were simply curious as to what Brad had mentioned, but not even Brad was so stupid to believe such a thing. Brad cleared his throat as he slipped his hand over Lily's on the table and turned to her. As she turned to him, she rose an eyebrow, keeping her innocent facial expression.

"Would you like to dance?" Brad asked her, effectively avoiding the topic of Ava and her recent display of spontaneous behavior.

"Can you dance?" Scorpius asked, and Lily let out a laugh as she watched Brad slowly turn back to the blonde and his piercing eyes. "I have a feeling Lily won't be too satisfied with your dancing abilities."

"Scorpius," Lily laughed as she turned to him, sending him a look. Scorpius, however, already knew he was being harsh with the muggle, but he couldn't really care. "Maybe you need another drink," she suggested.

"Or a woman who genuinely likes him," Brad boldly commented and Scorpius laughed.

"You could definitely use the same."

"Wow," Lily cleared her throat as she withdrew her hand from Brad's. "This went sour a lot faster than I imagined. And I had my bet on the wrong person to ruin it, too."

"Give it an hour. It'll come around," Scorpius assured her, but Brad and Emma remained clueless as to what the pair were talking about. Though Albus completely understand what they were eluding to, he shrugged and shook his head when Emma looked to him for some clarification. By doing so, Albus had inadvertently painted Scorpius and Lily as a pair stuck in an odd romantic relationship. At least, that was what Brad saw between the two as they spoke about things in vague terms only they understood. On some degree he was right, but he didn't understand. Not that anybody understood Scorpius and Lily except Scorpius and Lily.

"Lily, if you're involved with this guy, I-"

"You'll what?" Scorpius laughed as he looked at Brad. While holding the muggle's stare, Scorpius lifted his glass to his lips and let the bitter liquid slide down his throat. "I can't imagine there's much you can do, now can you? You can grovel, I suppose, but I advise against it. She's not one to take pity. And you punch me for stealing your date, but I don't think that's the best option either, because I've had a lot to drink and it's starting to make me a little bitter around you."

"And I thought you were always this cheery." Brad's sarcasm hung in the air, but Lily's laughter detracted from the seriousness of his comment.

"Or you can just leave, and save us all your trouble," Scorpius finished as he shrugged. He then leaned over the table and rested his elbows on the edge. He'd even dared to let his hand fall on top of Lily's and with his fingers he gently traced circles on the back of her hand. Brad had wasted no time in rising to his feet and dramatically escaping the clutches of Lily and her circle of friends.

"I don't think that was entirely necessary," Lily commented as she turned to Scorpius. He'd stopped rubbing the back of her hand with his fingertips, but his hand remained over hers.

"He's terrible," Scorpius replied and Lily only laughed as she turned her hand and let her fingers twist with Scorpius'. "What did you see in him?"

"He was a lot nicer before you went and made him all jealous," Lily answered and Scorpius only laughed and shook his head. "But you're right. He was kind of terrible, wasn't he?"

"He was just a bit bitter," Emma commented in an attempt to join the conversation, but only Lily turned to look at her brother's date.

"Scorpius is a bit bitter. That man was a disaster," Lily replied before she tightened her fingers around Scorpius' then lifted his hand off of the table. She had successfully pulled his attention as she rose from her seat, her fingers still clutching his. "Dance?" She asked as she tilted her head, a few strands of her dark red hair falling in front of her face. Scorpius only flashed his half drunken smile as he followed her lead, but as he got closer to her, he released her fingers and put his hands on her waist. He'd even put his lips against her cheek, but Lily and Scorpius had been so much closer than such innocent exchanges.

"I don't understand," Emma admitted as she turned to look at Albus. Albus let out a sigh as he shook his head. "Are they together?"

"For tonight," Albus answered with a shrug and met Emma's gaze. He wasn't sure what had changed, but he had suddenly found Emma's cute face less attractive than it had been earlier in the night. "And maybe tomorrow. By the end of the week, they'll each have another date for another night out."

"And it doesn't bother you that he treats your sister like that?"

"She treats him the same way. And if it wasn't each other, they'd just be off doing Merlin knows what, with… everybody," Albus replied, his voice showing his displeasure in the mere idea that his little sister enjoyed the company of men other than himself and Scorpius. Of course, he knew she did, but thinking about it never failed at making his squirm. "And they've been on and off like that since Hogwarts. Except now, they've given up on actually having a real emotional relationship, so it's so much easier now than it was when we were younger."

"I don't think that's healthy." Emma's condescending tone matched her narrowed eyes as she watched Scorpius and Lily slide their body's to the music. Scorpius' arm had wrapped around Lily's waist and their eyes were locked in what appeared to be a rather intense gaze. She hadn't been exposed to the pair long enough to know it was simply a piece of their game. Albus and Ava didn't really understand it either, but they knew how Scorpius and Lily looked at each other on the nights there was nobody else.

"Doesn't matter," Albus replied as he touched her shoulder gently. Emma's gaze remained on Scorpius and Lily, and so Albus took the opportunity to gaze over at the dance floor as well. Instead of his best friend and little sister, however, Albus scanned the dance floor for Ava. She was dancing with a different man by then, but Albus still did not appreciate the way the man was watching her. It was one thing for Lily to dance so suggestively with Scorpius, given that she and Scorpius had a long history and Scorpius was… well Scorpius, but Ava behaving in the same manner with a perfect stranger was nearly too much. It was too much actually, but Albus was with Emma, and he couldn't very well march over and put an end to Ava's dancing habits. One, Ava might retaliate in the worst way imaginable, and drawing wands in a muggle place was not completely off the table. Two, Emma would have by then realized the odd relationship that tied the two sets of siblings and most likely would not want to date Albus any longer. Not that that was a terrible outcome, but the first one, definitely was.


End file.
